William Augustus Keele

William Augustus Keele was born 25 Sept 1852 in Spanish Fork, UT to his parents Dabney Uel Keele and Elizabeth Ann Bracken. He was baptized 20 June 1861.

He was the concert master of Pine Valley band and married Samuel Burgess's youngest daughter, Cleopatra the 25 May 1876, in Pine Valley, UT. They were sealed in the St. George, UT Temple. They had 8 children, only 4 would live to adulthood.

They had 2 children in PineValley, UT; Cleopatra who died at 7 months old and Gus. Life was very harsh and the timber business exhausted, motivating William and Cleopatra's move to Bicknell, Utah, and there they established the Keele Cattle Ranch. Though life was not easy, they were happy as a family with many extended relatives of aunts and uncles. Tom, John, Frank, Julia, Sam and Ellen were also born here, (Sam and Ellen died at birth).

After her last child, Ellen was born and buried, Cleopatra died about a year later from complications. During the sheep and cattle range war, the grazing land was ruined. So William just loaded everything into the wagon and with a heavy heart left his beloved Cleopatra and 3 buried children in the Bicknell cemetery and headed for better grazing ground. They headed for the Big Horn Mountains east of Yellow Stone Park in Lovell, Wyoming. He never remarried.

William Augustus Keele paid a visit to his son Frank Keele. Lois Williams recalls: "Dad had picked him up at the train station in mother's little black "Cadillac" buggy, which he seldom drove. As they arrived into the yard, we had to snicker, because one side of the buggy was sagging nearly to the ground from grandfather's portly frame, while dad's side was sticking way up in the air. Grandfather was a very sick man, dying of dropsy. His legs were enormous and hung down over his boots. The only way he could prevent his lungs from filling up with fluid was to sleep propped up in a chair. He seemed to fill the whole room." He died on his ranch in Lovell, Wyoming 1924.

Obituary Contributor: Jocelyn Jones

Parents:

Dabney Uel Keele 1826 - 1902

Elizabeth Ann Bracken Keele 1828 - 1915

Spouse:

Cleopatra Burgess Keele 1858 - 1893

Children:

Cleopatra Keele 1877 - 1877

William Augustus Keele 1878 - 1973

Thomas Alexander Keele 1881 - 1973

John Keele 1884 - 1901

Frank Keele 1886 - 1960

Julia Clista Keele Mickelson 1889 - 1977

Samuel Keele 1891 - 1891

Ellen Keele 1892 - 1892

Created by: Lovell Cemetery

Record added: Jul 13, 2009

Find A Grave Memorial# 39427368

Birth: Sep. 25, 1852 Spanish Fork Utah County Utah, USA

Death: Nov. 2, 1924 Lovell Big Horn County Wyoming, USA

William Augustus Keele was born 25 Sept 1852 in Spanish Fork, UT to his parents Dabney Uel Keele and Elizabeth Ann Bracken. He was baptized 20 JUN 1861.

He was the concert master of PineValley band and married Samuel Burgess's youngest daughter, Cleopatra the 25 May 1876 in Pine Valley, UT. They were sealed in the St. George, UT Temple. They had 8 children, only 4 would live to adulthood.

They had 2 children in PineValley, UT; Cleopatra who died at 7 months old and Gus. Life was very harsh and the timber business exhausted, motivating William and Cleopatra's move to Bicknell, Utah and there they established the Keele Cattle Ranch. Though life was not easy, they were happy as a family with many extended relatives of aunts and uncles. Tom, John, Frank, Julia, Sam and Ellen were also born here, (Sam and Ellen died at birth)- were all born here.

After her last child, Ellen was born and buried, Cleopatra died about a year later from complications. During the sheep and cattle range war, the grazing land was ruined. So William just loaded everything into the wagon and with a heavy heart left his beloved Cleopatra and 3 buried children in the Bicknell cemetery and headed for better grazing ground. They headed for the Big Horn Mountains east of Yellow Stone Park in Lovell, Wyoming. He never remarried.

William Augustus Keele paid a visit to his son Frank Keele. Lois Williams recalls: "Dad had picked him up at the train station in mother's little black "Cadillac" buggy, which he seldom drove. As they arrived into the yard, we had to snicker, because one side of the buggy was sagging nearly to the ground from grandfather's portly frame, while dad's side was sticking way up in the air. Grandfather was a very sick man, dying of dropsy. His legs were enormous and hung down over his boots. The only way he could prevent his lungs from filling up with fluid was to sleep propped up in a chair. He seemed to fill the whole room." He died on his ranch in Lovell, Wyoming 1924.

Obituary Contributor: Jocelyn Jones

Family links:

Parents:

• Dabney Uel Keele (1826 - 1902)
• Elizabeth Ann Bracken Keele (1828 - 1915)

Spouse:

• Cleopatra Burgess Keele (1858 - 1893)*

Children:

• Cleopatra Keele (1877 - 1877)*
• William Augustus Keele (1878 - 1973)*
• Thomas Alexander Keele (1881 - 1973)*
• John Keele (1884 - 1901)*
• Frank Keele (1886 - 1960)*
• Julia Clista Keele Mickelson (1889 - 1977)*
• Samuel Keele (1891 - 1891)*
• Ellen Keele (1892 - 1892)*

Burial: Lovell Cemetery Lovell Big Horn County Wyoming, USA